Radiator condenser



April 7, '1931.` '[1 F, FOUTZ 1,799,552

-RADIATOR CONDENSER Filed Sept. 25, 1928 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 ras MNT mattez FFCE DAVID FORSTER FOU'IZ, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND RADIATOR GONDENSER This invention relates to an improvement 1n radiators of that type involving a cOndenser included. within the body of the radiator and utilized in a system such as described in connection with an application of Clinton -R. Foutz, filed July 16, 1928, Serial No.

In constructions wherein the condenser is built in as a part of the radiator proper nd indistinguishable therefrom in appearance, it is important that the condenser, which must be open to the upper water header in the op-l eration of the system, should be temporarily closed against that header duringthe filling of the system with water in order to avoid delivery of water into the condenser, well understood disadvantages.

In connection with the system described, it is important that the filling opening by which water is introduced into the system be sealed against the admission of air, and as the water cannot be introduced into the system except through this filling opening, it is advisable from a practical standpoint to utilize the cap for the filling opening as the means for governing the circulatory relatiOn of the upper header and the condenser.

The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an opening leading to the condenser and communicating with the upper header and provide means which, when the filling cap is in place, will maintain this opening in condition for free communication between the header and condenser and when the filling cap is removed, cause the opening to be automatically closed.

More specically, the invention consists in providing a tubular member opening from the condenser header and into the radiator header,a valve being arranged to automatically closethis opening to cut off communication between the condenser and radiator header when theiller cap is removed, with means carried by the cap for maintaining the valve in open position to establish 'communicationbetween the condenser and radiator header when the filling cap is in place.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken view in elevation,

with' the partly in section,

illustrating a preferred type of radiator wherein the condenser forms a part of the radiator body.

Figure 2 1s a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

In the particular form of radiator illustrated, the upper header 1 of the radiator 2 has its lower wall dened by a plate 3 from which tubes 4L depend to a similar lower header (not shown) thetubesdiiorming plate of the the circulatory communication between the upper and lower special form of claimed as a part of this invention, and while preferred is not headers, as is usual. The tube here illustrated is not important in the invention l towliich the present application is directed,

whereby it will be understood that any type of tube may be used withoutdeparting Jfrom the spirit of the present invention. Y

In this form of radiator a plate 5 overlying the plate 3 and secured at its side edges to the plate 3 immediately adjacent the side walls of the headerl to the plate communicate, it tubes lead from derstood tion of the upper er condenser hea essary to illustrate.

The radiator header 1 is provided with a filling tube 9 through which water may beintroduced for the purpose and having end walls 6 secured 3 defines an upper condenser header 7 with which the condenser tubes 8 being understood that such the upper condenser header It is to be unto theI described construccondenser header, such'lowder being, therefore, unneco filling the system,

this tube having an inwardly arranged annular flange 10 to r ried by the lling cap 12 which has threaded eceive a sealing disk 11 carconnection at 13 with the upper `endy of the tube 9.` Suitable packing 14 duced betwen the disk may be intro- 11 and the upperedge v of the flange 10 to insure Vthat the ca p when in place seals the admission of air.

filling opening against the The vapor, steam and initially the air contained in the cooling fluid will collect inthe upper header and is to condenser and re be directed through the delivered to the cooling fluid 10o parts.

beyond the delivery end of the lower header in the system. To provide for the entrance of this vapor and the like into the condenser,

the latter is provided with an upstanding inlet tube 15 of materially less diameter than the iilling tube, the upper end of the inlet tube 15 extending somewhat into the iilling tube. It is to be understood, though unnecessary to illustrate, that conventional means are 'provided for deliverinfVT the condensate from the lower condenser neader into `'the cooling fluid, with the result that the vapor which collects above the upper condenser header and above the cooling fluid in the ra` diator proper is delivered through the tube 15 into the upper condenser header, into the cooling tubes 8 in communication with said upper condenser header, and condensed to collect as water in the lower condenser header, from which it is forced under conventional means, as referred to, into the circulatory path or" the cooling fluid. K

The upper and lower ends of the tube 15 are provided with disks 16 which are freely perforated at 17 toppermit the pl sage of vapor therethrough,I the upper disk 16 being removable, if desired, through the threaded connection 1(3 to provide access to the valve A valve Yrod 18 is mounted for sliding movement in the disks 16 and extends above the upper disk. A valve 19 is secured upon this rod and a spring 20 is coiled about the rod between the valve and the lower 'di sk to insure that, Vwhen free to move, the valve will be Vmoved into a position to close the openings 17 in the upper disk 16 and thereby seal the condenser against the radiator header. The filling cap 12 lis formed with a depending column 21, preferably notched at lower end as at 22, to cooperate with the upper preferably pointed end 23 of the valve rod 18.

The relation of the parts is such that when the cap 12 is in place, the column 21 will bea-r upon and depress the valve rod 18 against the tension of the springv 20 to a degree to permit the valve to be moved away from the openings 17 in the upper disk 16 and thereby establish free communication between the radiator header and the condenser. Obviously, on removal of the cap for the purpose of delivering water into the system, the spring 20 acts to cause the valve tomove to a position to close the opening in the upper disk 16. Therefore, as long as the filling cap is in place, free communication is esta lished between the radiator header and the condenser, while on removal of the cap for any purpose the condenser is immediately closed against the radiator header.

If desired, a dellector disk 24 maybe secured to the inlet tube 15 of the condenser to direct the incoming water away from such tube.

The disk 11 of the sealing cap has free edge to permit a more or less spring effect in forcing the latter into and maintaining sealing effect with the packing 14.

lt is to be understood that as described the combined radiator and condenser has the general external appearance of a conventional radiator in which the upper and lower headers are connected by tubes open to the cooling influence of the air passing between them. For ythe present invention, however, the central group of these tubes are closed against 'the upper and lower headers of the radiator proper by plates which overlie and underlie the ends of this central group of tubes and so prevent the water inthe radiator header from passing through this central group of tubes. rllhis central .group of tubes constitutes the condenser and is of course open `to the cooling influence vor heat exchange with the air -aassing 'between the tubes exactly as in the radiator proper. The condenser is open at the upper end to tube 15 and the latter, when the lil-ler cap is in place, is open to the upper headerof the radiator above the normal vlevel Vof water Itherein. The lower end of the condenser has an outlet independent of the out-let from the radiator lower header.

The improved radiator condenser is used in system such as described lin the application referred to `above wherein, incident to the heating ofthe cooling fluid bythe heat exchange with the wallsl of the cylinders, vapor collects on the surface of the water in the upper header chamber of the radiator. This vapor is directed through the condenser and condensed bythe cooling influence of the air aassing between and around the condenser tubes, andthe condensate is :returned to the cooling iluid beyond the radiator, all as will be clear from the description of the system proper in the above noted applica tion. l

rlhus, the unit, which has the appearance of conventional or more ror less conventional radiator, is in fact la radiator and condenser combined, the condenser serving to condense the vaporproduced incident 'to 'the heating ofthe cooling fluid by fthe engine, with the cooling influence on the condenser being the air passing between and around the tubes ofthe condenser in exactly the samemanner in which the water inthe radiator is cooled in its travel from the upper header to thelower header ofthe radiator.

Wha-t is claimed to be new is: y

1. A radiator having a condenser formed as a part thereof, communicating means between the radiator Jheader and condenser., and means governed by the position of the filler cap of the radiator for controlling said communicating means.

2. A radiator having a condenser formed as a part thereof, a valve lfor LVcontrolling communication between the radiator and condenser, and means on the filler cap of the radiator and condenser, and means on tho v filler cap of the radiator for governing the position of the valve.

3. A radiator formed as a part thereof, a Valve for controlling communication between the radiator condenser and header, means for normally holding the valve in position to cut ofi3 such communication, a liller cap for the radiator filling opening, and means on the cap to hold the valve in open position when the cap is in place.

4. A radiator including an upper header, a filling tube leading thereto, a cap for the filling tube, a condenser formed as a part of the radiator, an inlet tube leading to the condenser and arranged within the header of the radiator, a valve cooperating with the open end of said tube, a spring normally holding the valve in closedposition, and a column depending from the cap to force the valve to open position when the cap is in place.

5. A radiator including an upper header,

a filling tube leading thereto, a cap for the p filling tube, a condenser formed as a part of the radiator, an inlet tube leading to the Condenser and arranged Within the header of the radiator, an opening at each end of the inlet tube, a valve rod movable longitudinally of the inlet tube and extending above 'the same, a. valve on said rod, a spring for operating the valve to normally close the opening leading to the inlet tube, and a column depending from the liller cap to engage the end of the valve rod and hold said valve in open position when the iller cap is in place.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

DAVID FORSTER FOUTZ.

including la condenser 

